THE  CHARTER 


OP  THE 


A STATEMENT 

OP  ITS 


CLAIMS  ON  THE  PUBLIC  INTEREST 

IN  CONNECTION  WITH  THE  BOSTON,  HOOSAC  TUNNEL  AND 
ALBANY  RAILROAD. 


WITH  PROFILE  OF  BRIDGE  AND  MAP  OF  RIYER. 


JOHN  SWINBURNE,  President. 
J.  W.  GASCOIGNE,  Secretary. 


ALBANY: 

WEED,  PARSONS  AND  COMPANY,  PRINTERS. 
1874. 


DIRECTORS 


OF  THE  ALBANY  AND  GREENBUSH  BRIDGE  COMPANY. 


JOHN  SWINBUENE, 

J.  T.  DAVIS, 
ALEXANDEK  MOEEIS, 
YOLCKEET  P.  DOUW, 


PETEE  E.  HOGLE, 
J.  H.  PEATT, 

C.  A.  STEVENS, 
DAVID  PHILLIPS. 


DIRECTORS 

OF  THE  BOSTON,  HOOSAC  TUNNEL  AND  ALBANY  R.  R.  CO. 


JOHN  SWINBUENE, 
J.  H.  PEATT, 

J.  0.  MOOEE, 

J.  N.  EING, 

J.  T.  DAVIS, 

DAVID  PHILLIPS, 


WM.  J.  WEAVEE, 

C.  A.  WINSHIP, 

EOBEET  MOEEISON, 

0.  W.  HEEEICK, 

C.  A.  STEVENS, 

J.  W.  VAN  VALKENBUEGH. 


r 


PROFILE  OF  THI 


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THK  ALBANY  AND  GREENBUSH  BRIDGE. 


The  bridge  to  be  constructed  under  this  charter  is  to  be  a carriage 
and  foot-passenger  bridge,  and  also  for  the  use  of  the  Boston, 
Hoosac  tunnel  & Albany  railroad.  To  complete  this  line  it  is  only 
necessary  to  construct  twenty-two  miles  of  road,  from  Albany  to 
Petersburgh,  as  the  road  from  Petersburgh  to  Boston  is  already 
built.  Troy  has  now  a road  finished  to  Petersburgh,  trains  running 
-jevery  day.  The  distance  to  the  tunnel,  from  Troy,  is  fifty  miles, 
while  it  is  only  thirty-seven  miles  from  Albany  to  it,  showing  thir- 
teen miles  in  favor  of  the  Albany  road. 


Charter  of  the  Albany  and  Greenbush  Bridge  Company. 


CHAPTER  269. 

^"^AN  ACT  authorizing  the  construction  of  a bridge  across  the 
Hudson  river  at  the  city  of  Albany,  and  incorporating  the 
Albany  and  Greenbush  Bridge  Company. 

Passed  April  18,  1872  ; three-fifths  being  present. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  'New  York,  represented  in  Senate 
and  Assembly,  do  enact  asfollovjs  : 

Section  1.  All  persons  who  shall  become  stockholders  pursuant 
to  the  provisions  of  this  act  shall  be  and  are  hereby  constituted  a 
body  corporate  by  the  name  of  the  Albany  and  Greenbush  Bridge 
Company,”  for  the  purposes  of  erecting  and  maintaining  a toll- 
bridge  for  the  purposes  of  travel  and  transportation  across  the 
Hudson  river,  from  some  proper  point  on  the  westerly  side  or  shore 
of  the  said  river,  in  the  said  city  of  Albany,  to  some  proper  point 
on  the  opposite  side  or  ^shore  of  the  said  river  in  the  village  of 
Greenbush  and  county  of  Rensselaer,  as  may  be  fixed  and  deter- 
mined upon  by  the  commissioners  hereinafter  named,  with  all  the 
general  rights  and  powers  of  a corporation  conferred  by  law,  and 
with  all  such  incidental  powers  that  may  be  requisite  to  carry  out 
and  accomplish  the  provisions  of  this  act. 


59030 


THE  PROPOSED  HIVEH  BE  DOE. 


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olonoixixioioixixio 

PROFILE  OF  THE  NEW  ALBANY  AND  GREENBITSH  CARRIAGE  jvND  RAILROAD  BRIDGE. 

Length  of  Bridge,  - - - - 844  ft. 

“ of  Di-fiw,  - - - 400  ft. 

“ of  Spans,  - - - - 222  ft. 

Height  above  mean  tide,  - - 35  (t. 


I 


PROFILE  OF  THE  HUDSON  RIVER  AT  ALBANY. 


THE  TRUE  LOCAt/oN  FOR  THE  ALBANY  AND  GREENEOSH  BRIDGE. 

It  will  be  seen  by  the  above  map  of  the  Hudson  river  that  the  proposed  loc^on  of  the  Albany  and  Greenbush  Bridge  at  or  near  the  “south  ferry”  isjihe  only  suitable  location  on  account  of  the  width  of  the  river  and  the 
depth  of  water  at  that  point.  This  point  is  about  the  same  distance  below  the.^nfiiy  bridge"  (so-called)  that  the  “new  bridge”  is  below  the  “,old  bridge,”  and  gives  ample  room  for  the  management  of  steamboats  and  tows.  The 
whole  breadth  of  the  river  is  deep,  and,  in  fact,  a channel  at  this  point,  with  a ^aw  four  hundred  feet  wide  in  the  bridge,  so  no  possible  obstruction  to  navigation  can  occur. 


4 


§ 2.  The  capital  stock  of  the  said  corporation  shall  be  three  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars,  to  be  divided  into  shares  of  one  hundred 
dollars  each.  The  said  shares  shall  be  deemed  personal  property, 
and  be  transferable  on  the  books  of  the  corporation  in  such  manner 
as  the  directors  may  provide. 

§ 3.  The  following  persons,  viz. ; Thomas  Olcott,  Charles  Van 
Benthnysen,  Yolkert  P.  Douw,  of  the  city  of  Albany,  James  IT. 
King,  of  Greenbush,  Alexander  Morris,  J.  Thomas  Davis  and 
James  H.  Pratt  of  East  Greenbush,  Kensselaer  county,  who  are 
hereby  appoited  commissioners  for  that  purpose,  or  a majority  of 
them,  shall,  within  sixty  days  after  the  passage  of  this  act,  and  after 
giving  ten  days  public  notice  in  the  daily  papers  of  the  city  of 
Albany,  and  the  Kensselaer  County  Gazette,  published  at  Green- 
bush, aforesaid,  receive  subscriptions  to  the  capital  stock  of  the  said 
corporation,  at  such  place  and  under  such  regulations  as  they  may 
prescribe,  and  in  case  of  any  excess  of  subscriptions  they  may 
apportion  the  stock  among  the  subscribers  in  such  manner  as  they 
shall  deem  most  likely  to  promote  the  interests  of  the  said  corpora- 
tion in  the  speedy  erection  of  the  said  bridge ; and  at  the  time  of 
subscribing,  five  dollars  shall  be  paid  on  each  share  subscribed  for, 
or  such  subscription  shall  not  be  received. 

§ 4.  As  soon  as  the  stock  shall  be  subscribed  for,  the  said  commis- 
sioners, or  a majority  of  them,  shall  fix  the  time  and  place  for 
holding  the  first  election  of  directors  of  the  said  corporation,  and 
give  notice  thereof  in  the  daily  papers  of  the  city  of  Albany  and 
Kensselaer  County  Gazette,  aforesaid,  for  at  least  ten  days  previous 
thereto,  and  shall  also  appoint  three  of  the  subscribers  to  the  stock 
to  act  as  inspectors  of  the  first  election,  which  will  be  held  by  the 
said  inspectors  or  such  of  them  as  may  attend,  and  be  conducted  as 
required  by  law,  and  at  any  election  of  directors,  each  stockholder 
shall  have  one  vote  for  each  share  of  stock  held  by  him,  and  may 
vote  in  person  or  by  proxy,  and  all  votes  shall  be  by  ballot. 

§ 5.  The  directors  of  said  corporation  shall  be  nine  in  number,  and 
be  elected  annually  from  the  stockholders,  at  such  time  and  place 
as  the  directors  may  appoint,  of  which  public  notice  shall  be  given 
in  two  daily  papers  of  the  city  of  Albany,  for  at  least  ten  days  pre- 
viously. At  such  election  of  directors  three  inspectors  of  the  next 
election  shall  be  chosen  by  ballot  from  the  number  of  stockholders. 

§ 6.  The  directors  shall  appoint  one  of  their  number  as  president  of 
the  said  corporation,  and  they  may  also  appoint  such  other  officers 
and  agents  as  they  from  time  to  time  may  deem  necessary.  They  may 
also  require  payment  of  the  amount  remaining  unpaid  on  the  stock 


5 


of  said  corporation,  giving  at  least  thirty  days’  notice  of  such  call  in 
the  daily  papers  of  the  city  of  Albany,  under  the  penalty,  in  case  of 
non-payment,  of  forfeiture  of  the  said  stock  and  of  all  previous  pay- 
ments made  thereon,  for  the  benefit  of  the  said  corporation.  The 
directors  may,  from  time  to  time,  make  such  by-laws  and  adopt  such 
measures  as  they  may  deem  proper  to  promote  the  interests  of  the 
corporation  and  the  speedy  construction  of  the  said  bridge.  All 
vacancies  occurring  in  the  board  of  directors  by  death,  resignation, 
or  otherwise,  may  be  filled  by  the  board. 

§ 7.  The  bridge  which  the  said  corporation  are  hereby  authorized 
to  erect  shall  be  constructed  at  least  twenty  feet  above  common  tide 
water,  and  with  a draw  thereon  of  one  hundred  feet  in  width,  (the 
company  agree  to  make  the  draw  not  less  than  400  feet),  and  such 
draw  shall  be  promptly  opened  to  any  vessels,  requiring  the  same 
on  signal  without  charge,  so  as  not  to  cause  hindrance  to  commerce, 
and  said  bridge  and  draw  shall  be  so  located  as  not  to  cause  hind- 
rance or  delay  to  such  commerce, 

§ 8.  The  said  corporation  shall  have  the  right  to  take  and  hold 
real  estate  necessary  for  the  erection  of  the  said  bridge,  and  the  piers, 
and  abutments,  toll-house  and  other  appurtenances  thereof,  and  for 
all  necessary  avenues  and  approaches  leading  to  or  from  the  same, 
and  may  occupy  and  use  the  bed  of  the  river  for  the  said  bridge,  its 
piers  and  appurtenances  as  far  as  may  be  necessary.  And  if  for  any 
reason  the  said  corporation  shall  be  unable  to  agree  with  the  owner 
or  owners  for  the  purchase  of  any  real  estate  required  for  the  erec- 
tion of  the  said  bridge,  or  for  any  of  the  purposes  of  the  said  cor- 
poration, it  shall  have  the  right  to  acquire  title  to  such  real  estate 
in  the  same  manner  and  by  the  like  special  proceedings  as  are  author- 
ized and  provided  for  obtaining  title  to  real  estate  required  for  the 
purposes  of  a railroad  corporation,  under  the  provisions  for  that  pur- 
pose contained  in  the  act  entitled,  “ An  act  to  authorize  the  forma- 
tion of  railroad  corporations  and  to  regulate  the  same,”  passed  April 
second,  eighteen  hundred  and  fifty,  and  any  act  or  acts  amendatory 
thereof,  or  in  addition  thereto,  and  for  that  purpose  all  such  acts 
shall  be  considered  as  applicable  to  the  corporation  hereby  created, 
and  the  Supreme  Court  may  modify  the  formal  part  of  the  proceed- 
ings under  the  acts  aforesaid,  so  as  to  make  them  applicable  to  the 
corporation  hereby  erected,  and  to  effectuate  and  make  the  same 
valid  in  all  respects  for  acquiring  the  title  and  possession  of  the  real 
estate  required  for  the  purposes  of  the  said  corporation. 

§ 9.  After  the  said  bridge  shall  have  been  completed,  such  tolls 
and  charges  may  be  collected  by  the  said  corporation  for  crossing  the 


6 


same,  on  foot  and  wagon,  cars  and  carriages  of  any  kind,  and  with 
horses  or  other  animals,  or  otherwise,  as  the  directors  may  from 
time  to  time  establish ; but  such  tolls  and  charges  shall  in  no  case 
exceed  those  charged  on  the  first  day  of  November,  eighteen  hundred 
and  seventy-one,  by  the  Eensselaer  & Sarotoga  railroad  company 
for  crossing  its  bridge  across  the  Hudson  river  and  Mohawk  river 
to  West  Troy,  or  those  charged  at  that  time  by  the  ferry  company, 
on  its  boats,  running  between  Albany  and  Greenbush.  And  any 
person  crossing  or  attempting  to  cross  said  bridge  without  paying 
the  pro23er  toll,  which  shall  be  advertised  conspicuously  at  either 
end  of  said  bridge,  shall  be  subject  to  three  times  the  amount  of 
toll  such  person  or  persons  ought  to  have  paid,  to  be  sued  for  and 
recovered  in  an  action  in  the  name  of  said  corporation. 

§ 10.  The  corporation  hereby  created  shall  possess  the  general 
powers  and  be  subject  to  the  provisions  contained  in  title  third  of 
chapter  eighteen  of  the  first  part  of  the  Revised  Statutes,  so  far  as 
the  same  are  applicable  and  have  not  been  repealed. 

§ 11.  All  the  stockholders  under  this  act  shall  be  severally  and 
individually  liable  to  an  amount  equal  to  the  amount  of  capital  stock 
held  by  them  respectively,  to  the  creditors  of  such  company,  for  all 
the  debts  contracted  by  the  directors  or  agents  of  such  company,  for 
its  use,  until  the  whole  amount  of  the  capital  stock  of  the  said  com- 
pany is  paid  in,  or  so  much  thereof  as  shall  be  deemed  sufficient  for 
the  erection  of  said  bridge  and  the  purchase  of  the  necessary  real 
estate,  and  a certificate  thereof  filed  in  the  offices  of  the  clerks  of  the 
counties  of  Albany  and  Rensselaer. 

§ 12.  Any  person  willfully  doing  any  injury  to  said  bridge  or  to 
any  of  the  appurtenances  thereof,  shall  forfeit  and  pay  to  the  said 
corporation  three  times  the  amount  of  such  injury,  to  be  sued  for 
in  an  action  and  in  the  name  of  said  corporation,  and  shall  be  con- 
sidered guilty  of  a misdemeanor,  punishable  at  the  discretion  of  the 
court  having  cognizance  of  the  offense. 

§ 13.  The  directors  of  the  corporation  shall  put  up  in  a conspicuous 
place  at  each  end  of  said  bridge,  a notice  in  the  following  w^ords,  in 
large  characters  : One  dollar  fine  for  riding  or  driving  faster  than 

a walk  on  this  bridge,”  and  whosoever  shall  ride  or  drive  faster 
than  a walk  on  such  bridge,  when  such  notice  is  affixed,  shall,  for 
every  offense,  forfeit  the  sum  of  one  dollar,  to  be  recovered,  with 
costs  of  suit,  and  in  the  name  of  said  corporation  by  the  city. 

§ 14.  This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately. 


( 


NOTE. 

The  difficulties  to  be  overcome,  in  order  to  construct  a bridge 
north  of  Ferry  street  are  such  as  to  forbid  such  an  undertaking. 
The  bridge  company  have,  therefore,  offered  to  purchase  the  ferry 
property.  The  city  refusing  to  make  such  sale,  the  company  have 
the  option  of  taking  it  by  compulsion,  or  locating  lower  down.  The 
question  of  bridge  or  no  bridge,  is  by  no  means  involved  in  the 
question  of  sale  of  the  ferry  property  by  the  city. 

THE  ALBANY  AND  GEEENBUSH  BEIDGE. 

The  complete  organization  of  the  Albany  and  Greenbush  Bridge 
Company  was  effected  last  summer  by  the  election  of  directors  and 
officers  of  the  company,  the  capital  stock  having  been  all  subscribed 
and  the  first  installment  paid  in  to  the  Commissioners,  as  follows : 

STATEMENT  OF  COMMISSIONERS. 

We,  the  undersigned  Commissioners  under  an  act  of  the  Legis- 
lature of  the  State  of  New  York,  entitled  An  act  authorizing  the 
construction  of  a bridge  across  the  Hudson  river  at  the  city  of 
Albany,  and  incorporating  the  Albany  and  Greenbush  Bridge  Com- 
pany, passed  April  18,  1872,”  hereby  certify  that  the  capital  stock 
of  said  corporation  has  been  subscribed  for  as  required  by  said  act, 
and  five  per  centum  in  cash  has  been  paid  on  same  to  the  Commis- 
sioners. We  hereby  fix  Thursday,  the  21st  day  of  August  instant, 
at  12  o’clock  at  noon  of  that  day,  at  the  store  of  Y.  P.  Douw  & Co., 
No.  82  State  street,  in  the  city  of  Albany  and  State  of  New  York, 
as  the  time  and  place  for  holding  the  first  election  of  directors  of  the 
said  corporation.  We  hereby  appoint  John  Swinburne,  William  S. 
Paddock  and  C.  Adams  Stevens,  subscribers  to  the  stock,  to  act  as 
inspectors  of  said  first  election,  which  will  be  held  by  said  inspect- 
ors, or  such  of  them  as  may  attend  at  the  time  and  place  so  fixed 
for  same  as  aforesaid  under  said  act. 

City  of  Albany,  this  7th  day  of  August,  1873. 

THOMAS  OLCOTT, 
ALEXANDEE  MOEEIS, 

J.  N.  EING, 

J.  THOMAS  DAYIS, 

YOLCKEET  P.  DOUW, 

CHAS.  YAN  BENTHUYSEN, 
JAMES  H.  PEATT, 

Commissioners. 


8 


i 


WROUGHT  IRON  BRIDGE. 

The  company  contemplates  erecting  a bridge  of  wrought  iron  for 
the  accommodation  of  carriages  and  foot  passengers,  and  over  the 
carriage-way  a railroad  track.  The  bridge  will  be  844:  feet 
LONG,  A 400  FEET  DRAW  IN  THE  CENTER,  AND  A 222  FEET  SPAN  AT 
EACH  END.  The  following  extract  from  the  specifications  will  show 
the  ease  with  which  the  draw  is  to  be  managed. 

DRAW. 

The  first  draw  span  will  be  400  feet  long  over  all,  and  will  be 
located  between  the  two  fixed  spans,  and  will  be  built  on  a turn- 
table 36  feet  diameter  from  center  to  center  of  drum.  The  bridge 
across  the  Mississippi  at  Louisiana,  Mo.,  has  a draw  444  feet,  and 
has  been  worked  successfully  for  four  years  past.  This  will  be  of 
same  pattern. 

DRAW HOW  WORKED. 

The  draw  span  will  be  worked  by  two  steam  engines,  connected 
at  right  angles  with  suitable  machinery  to  swing  draw  span  wide 
open  in  the  space  of  one  minute’s  time,  and  close  it  in  the  same  space 
of  time,  and  suitable  hand  gearing  to  operate  draw  span  in  case  the 
engines  are  disabled. 

SPANS. 

' The  fixed  spans  will  be  two  in  number,  each  222  feet  long  from 
center  to  center  of  end  pins. 

HEIGHT  OF  SPANS. 

The  height  of  fixed  spans  will  be  34  feet  and  9 inches  from  center 
of  bottom  chord  to  center  of  top  chord. 

NAVIGATION. 

This  draw  is  within  a few  feet  of  the  same  length  as  that  of  the 
bridge  chartered  by  Congress  and  constructed  over  the  Mississippi 
river  at  Louisiana,  Mo.,  and  it  must  be  taken  into  consideration 
that  the  Mississippi  river  at  that  point  has  a current  of  six  miles 
per  hour,  while  there  is  no  perceptible  current  in  the  Hudson  river. 
As  to  obstructing  the  navigation  of  the  Hudson  by  this  contemplated 
bridge,  those  who  pretend  to  believe  it  do  so  because  they  are  opposed 
to  any  hridge.  They  know  it  will  not  in  the  least  impair  the  com- 
mercial interests  of  the  city  of  Albany. 


9 


CONSTRUCTORS. 

The  Kellogg  Bridge  Company,  of  Bulfalo,  N.Y.,  Mr.  Charles 
Kellogg,  president,  constructed  the  bridge  across  the  Mississippi 
river  at  Louisiana,  Mo.,  and  from  a circular  issued  by  them,  we 
make  the  following  extracts  : 

‘‘  The  second  peculiar  feature  belonging  to  this  bridge  is  the  great 
length  of  the  draw,  which  is  444  feet.  Its  other  dimensions  are  18 
feet  between  centers  of  trusses,  28  feet  at  the  arch  between  centers 
of  top  and  bottom  chords,  39  feet  8 inches  at  center  of  truss ; weight 
of  truss  and  track,  750,000  pounds,  which  is  supported  by  a turn- 
table whose  diameter  is  36  feet  from  center  to  center  of  drum ; total 
height  10  feet  If  inches ; height  of  drum  6 feet  6 ^ inches.  The 
drum  moves  on  48  cast-iron  wheels,  whose  surface,  with  those  of 
the  lower  track  and  under-side  of  the  drum,  is  planed  by  a machine 
constructed  for  the  purpose  at  considerable  expense.  The  wheels 
are  connected  by  radial  rods,  with  a spider  working  about  the  cen- 
ter cone.  Above  these  wheels,  and  under  the  six  bearing  points  of 
the  load,  and  against  the  lower  segments  of  the  drum,  are  cylindri- 
cal cast  struts  8^  inches  in  diameter.  Between  these  struts  and  over 
each  wheel  are  wrought  struts.  These  all  rest  against  the  lower 
segment  at  one  end,  and  at  the  other  against  a spider  working  about 
the  center  cone. 

‘‘  The  suspension  rods  which  hold  up  the  drum,  and  by  which  it 
is  adjusted  in  the  wheels,  are  in  pairs  under  the  six  bearing  points, 
and  of  three  and  a half  inch  round  iron.  The  rod  next  to  them  is 
If  inch  iron,  and  the  next  If.  They  then  increase  in  size  till  they 
reach  the  next  bearing  point.  These  suspension  rods  pass  through 
a heavy  crown  casting  weighing  9,000  pounds,  and  turning  on  the 
center  cone  by  means  of  a center  pin  nine  inches  in  diameter. 

‘‘  The  posts  of  the  truss  are  made  of  two  channel  beams  connected 
by  an  I beam.  At  the  center  there  are  heavy  leaning  posts  that 
carry  the  weight  to  the  turn  table.  The  top  chord  for  five  panels  is 
made  of  square  chord  bars  like  the  lower  chords  of  the  fixed  spans. 
The  remainder  of  the  top  chord  and  all  of  the  bottom  chords  are 
made  of  two  channel  beams  strengthened  by  plates.  At  the  height 
of  twenty  feet  above  the  rail  is  a system  of  bracing  with  longitudinal 
and  lateral  struts  between  posts  and  diagonal  bracing,  which  serve 
to  stiffen  the  posts  and  the  whole  truss. 

“ The  tie  rods  and  counter  ties  are  furnished  with  turn  buckles. 

“ One  man  can  move  the  draw  with  an  ordinary  hand-gearing, 
but  it  is  worked  by  a double-cylinder  engine.  At  the  ends  of  the 
2 


10 


draw  are  cams  for  raising  the  ends  of  the  truss  on  the  draw-rest  pier. 
These  cams  are  worked  by  the  engine  on  the  turn-table. 

“ The  third  peculiar  feature  of  the  work  is  the  unusually  short 
time  consumed  in  the  construction  of  the  bridge.  When,  on  the 
30th  day  of  J ime  last,  the  instructions  were  given  to  have  the  bridge 
ready  for  business  by  Christmas,  but  few  believed  it  possible  to  do 
it ; but  by  planning  the  work  to  allow  a margin  for  delays,  by  put- 
ting on  a force  commensurate  with  the  work  and  the  time  in  which 
it  was  to  be  done,  with  favorable  weather  and  reliable  and  energetic 
contractors,  the  work  has  been  done  on  time.  The  bridge  was  for- 
mally opened  on  the  24th  of  Decamber,  and  since  then  all  trains 
have  crossed  on'  the  bridge.” 

We  repeat  that  the  practical  working  of  this  bridge  has  been  per- 
fect, and  we  anticipate  the  same  results  with  the  Albany  and  Green- 
bush  Bridge  if  constructed  by  the  same  builders.  A letter  from 
Mr.  Charles  Kellogg,  dated  March  30,  1874,  addressed  to  an  officer 
of  the  Albany  and  Greenbush  Bridge  Company,  contains  the  fol- 
lowing extract : 

If  you  get  along  with  your  matters  so  as  to  wish  to  put  your 
bridge  under  contract,  and  the  contract  may  be  made  so  as  to  com- 
mence June  1,  1874,  on  the  work,  we  will  enter  into  a contract  to 
have  the  bridge  completed  ready  for  delivery  on  the  1st  day  of  Oc- 
tober, 1874.” 

LOCATION. 

The  Albany  and  Greenbush  Bridge  Company  have  had  sound- 
ings and  estimates  made  at  four  different  points  on  the  river  with  a 
view  to  the  location  of  the  bridge. 

PLANS  AND  SPECIFICATIONS 

for  the  bridge  can  be  seen  at  the  company’s  office.  No.  128  State 
street. 

The  parties  who  have  taken  hold  of  this  enterprise  are  able  and 
anxious  to  complete  the  bridge  at  the  earliest  possible  moment,  and 
all  they  ask  is  a just  and  fair  treatment  by  the  city  authorities ; 
they  do  not  ask  for  donations  of  money  or  any  property  valuable  to 
the  city.  They  ask  to  be  treated  with  similar  liberality  to  what 
other  corporations  have  been  treated. 

As  soon  as  the  perplexing  matters  connected  with  the  bridge  are 
settled,  the  construction  of  a 

KAILKOAD 

from  Albany  to  the  great 

HOOSAC  TUNNEL 

will  be  entered  upon. 


11 


THE  GREEISTBUSH  BRIDGE. 

A preamhle  and  resolution  submitted  to  the  Common  Council. 

Communication  from  President  Swinburne. 

The  Albany  & Greenbush  Bridge  Co.  have  applied  to  the  com- 
mon council  for  the  purchase  of  the  South  Ferry  property,  etc., 
The  following  communication  from  Dr.  John  Swinburne,  President 
of  the  Company,  to  the  common  council : 

To  the  Honorable  the  Common  Council  of  the  city  of  Albany : 

Gentlemen  — In  behalf  of  the  Albany  & Greenbush  Bridge 
Company,  I herewith  submit  to  your  Honorable  Board  the  accom- 
panying preambles  and  resolutions  adopted  at  a regular  meeting  of 
the  Board  of  Directors  of  said  company,  and  respectfully  in  behalf 
of  said  company  apply  to  the  city  of  Albany  for  the  purchase  of  the 
real  estate,  as  in  said  resolution  described,  and  request  an  early 
answer : 

First.  Whether  the  city  of  Albany  will  sell  to  said  company  said 
real  estate  (either  said  Ferry  property  or  said  Steamboat  Landing 
property)  for  the  purpose  of  erecting  and  maintaining  a bridge  under 
the  act  referred  to  in  said  preambles  and  resolutions  as  therein  more 
particularly  described. 

Second.  If  the  city  of  Albany  will  sell  said  lands,  or  either  for 
said  purpose,  for  what  price,  and  upon  what  terms  and  conditions. 
I further  submit  that  the  Bridge  Company  is  anxious  to  adopt  such 
course  in  the  matter  of  the  location,  erection  and  management  of 
said  bridge,  as  will  meet  the  approval  of  the  representatives  of  the 
city  of  Albany,  and  an  early  reply  to  our  application  will  be  of  great 
importance  to  the  interest  of  our  company,  and  we  believe  to  the 
city  of  Albany  and  vicinity. 

Very  respectfully, 

JOHN  SWINBURNE,  President. 


13 


OFimom  OF  THE  PRESS. 

[Albany  Knickerbocker.] 

We  cannot  see  how  the  Common  Council  can  be  of  but  one  mind 
on  this  subject.  We  ask  them  not  to  stand  in  the  way  of  this  great 
enterprise  which  will  do  so  much  for  Albany,  but  to  grant  them  the 
South  Ferry,  and  so  foster  and  encourage  public  improvement. 

We  ask  that  the  board  of  Aldermen  grant  the  petition,  beca-use 
the  South  Ferry  is  a dead  weight  upon  the  "city,  and  has  now  cost 
us  twice  as  much  as  we  have  ever  received  for  it. 

W e ask  that^  the  petition  be  granted,  because  then  we  shall  have  a 
foot  and  carriage  bridge  across  the  river  and  thus  be  even  with  Troy. 

We  ask  that  the  petition  be  granted,  because  the  toll  at  Green - 
bush  will  be  half  of  what  it  is  now ; that  in  winter  and  spring  the 
river  can  be  crossed  by  teams  and  with  perfect  safety. 

W e ask  that  it  be  granted,  because  the  farmers  of  Rensselaer  and 
Columbia  counties  will  then  bring  their  produce  to  the  capital  and 
make  their  purchases  here. 

W e ask  it  because  we  shall  have  a new  railroad,  making  a shorter 
route  and  a competing  line  to  Boston  and  l^ew  York,  opening  up  a 
new  country  that  will  bring  millions  of  dollars  worth  of  trade  to 
our  markets  yearly. 

We  ask  it  because  it  will  help  the  workingmen,  for  the  new  rail- 
road will  erect  car  shops,  depots  and  freight  houses  in  this  city,  and 
so  give  employment  to  hundreds  of  our  people. 

We  ask  it  because  the  company  will  erect  within  the  city  limits, 
not  less  than  half  a million  dollars  worth  of  taxable  property.  This 
will  go  upon  our  assessment  rolls  and  help  redeem  the  burden  of 
taxation 

We  ask  it  because  the  city  will  be  much  benefited  generally  by 
the  improvement,  and  we  want  to  make  Albany  a railroad  center 
and  a manufacturing  town,  such  as  she  is  destined  to  be  if  fossils 
will  clear  the  track,  or  be  made  to. 

We  might  go  on  giving  reasons  in  support  of  this  project  by  the 
page,  but  it  is  unnecessary.  The  benefits  to  be  derived  are  all  plain 
to  be  seen. 

[Albany  Argus.] 

The  bridge  managers  assert  that  the  present  ferry  has  been  main- 
tained at  an  expense  to  the  city  for  twenty  years  past,  and  that, 
therefore,  the  city  would  gain  by  securing  the  establishment  of  a 
bridge  which  would  not  only  be  selt-sustaining,  but  which  would 


13 


accommodate  the  public  at  all  hours  of  the  day  and  night,  and  that, 
too,  at  a reduction  in  cost  of  fifty  per  cent. 

The  entire  plan,  then,  is  the  construction  of  a railroad  from  the 
Hoosac  Tunnel  to  Albany,  running  across  the  proposed  bridge, 
making  a connection  with  the  Albany  and  Susquehanna  Railroad. 

The  friends  of  this  enterprise  claim  that  it  will  benefit  the  city  of 
Albany  in  various  important  w^ays.  First,  that  it  will  form  a com- 
peting line  between  Albany  and  Boston,  twenty-six  miles  shorter 
by  grade  and  distance.  Second,  it  makes  connections  which  will 
eventually  form  a competing  line  to  Kew  York  city.  Third,  it 
brings  all  the  western  counties  of  Massachusetts  in  direct  communi- 
cation with  Albany.  Fourth,  by  a connection  with  the  Albany  and 
Susquehanna  Railroad  it  gives  a direct  outlet  for  coal  to  towns  east 
of  the  Hudson,  and  to  Western  Massachusetts  — Horth  Adams,  for 
instance,  which  consumes  100,000  tons  of  coal  a year.  Fifth,  the 
ferry  property  has  been  a burden  to  the  city  for  the  past  twenty- 
five  years.  The  bridge  will  take  the  burden  off  the  hands  of  the 
city,  and  increase  the  value  of  taxable  property  $250,000  giving  a 
revenue  to  the  treasury  of  from  $10,000  to  $12,000  per  annum. 
Sixth,  the  people  will  be  relieved  to  the  extent  of  one-half  the  fare 
now  charged  and  paid.  Seventh,  it  will  bring  to  Albany  a large 
amount  of  trade  which  now  goes  elsewhere. 

[Morning  Express.] 

The  Express  comes  out  for  it,  and  says,  editorially  : 

We  have  no  bridge  for  vehicles  to  cross  over,  and  at  times  we 
have  sadly  felt  the  need  of  one,  during  the  winter,  and  at  the  break- 
ing up  of  the  river  in  the  spring,  as  well  as  at  night,  the  ferries  not 
running  after  a certain  hour.  The  low  rates  of  toll  that  the  new 
company  bind  themselves  to  adopt  — just  half  the  present  ferriage  — 
is  an  important  item  in  their  favor,  and  we  have  but  little  doubt  but 
that  with  these  low  rates  and  a bridge  to  cross  the  river  we  shall 
regain  that  trade  from  the  upper 'part  of  Columbia  county  which 
now  seeks  Hudson  as  a place  more  available  than  Albany,  as  well  as 
the  trade  of  Rensselaer  county  which  now  goes  to  Troy.  * 

We  shall  refer  to  this  matter  again,  and  candidly  believe  it  to  be  a 
“ big  thing  ” for  Albany,  and  cannot  understand  the  opposition  that 
has  been  raised  against  it.  We  do  not  believe  in  acting  as  drag 
chains  on  the  wheels  of  progress. 


14 


[Sunday  Press.] 

It  is  an  actual  cost  on  the  city  of  over  a thousand  dollars  a year, 
and  it  never  will  be  otherwise,  and  if  the  new  company,  can  make  it 
productive  and  at  the  same  time  be  a benefit  to  the  community,  no 
one  should  stand  in  the  way  of  the  change.  The  railroad  that  is  to 
pass  over  the  bridge  will  shorten  the  distance  to  Boston  twenty-six 
miles ; it  will  make  a difierence  of  more  than  an  hour  in  the  time.  It 
will  give  us  a competing  line  of  railway  to  Hew  York,  Boston  and 
Montreal,  which  is  much  needed.  It  will  bring  into  Albany  from 
the  country,  millions  of  dollars  of  trade  annually.  It  will,  by  the 
erection  of  fine  depots,  workshops  and  freight-houses,  give  employ- 
ment to  hundreds  of  meclianics ; it. will  increase  the  taxable  prop- 
erty of  the  city  very  materially.  While  it  will  prove  a benefit  to 
the  lower  part  of  Albany  in  particular,  it  will  also  be  an  advantage 
to  the  whole  city.  That  none  can  deny.  We  have  the  interest  of 
the  whole  city  at  heart,  and  in  this  new  project  we  see  something 
that  will  help  the  city  more  than  a little.  Enterprises  of  this  kind 
do  not  come  up  every  day,  and  now,  when  men  of  energy  come  for- 
ward and  offer  to  build  us  up  with  their  money,  tact  and  push,  in 
the  name  of  common  sense  do  not  let  us  discourage  and  repel  them 
by  selfish  grumbling  and  a factious  opposition,  putting  obstacles  in 
the  way  of  a great  enterprise  without  a particle  of  reason. 

The  best  article  we  have  seen  in  favor  of  the  proposed  bridge, 
is  found  in  an  editorial  in  the  Albany  Evening  Times,  of  January 
6,  1873,  which  says  : 

Boston,  Albany  and  Hoosac  Tunnel  Road. 

In  view  of  the  near  completion  of  the  Hoosac  tunnel,  railroad 
men  are  awakened  to  the  importance  of  the  link  of  road,  between 
Albany  and  the  tunnel  — all  that  is  required  to  connect  Boston  or 
tide- water  with  the  great  lakes  and  the  shores  of  the  Pacific.  The 
proposed  road  to  the  tunnel  is  thirty-one  miles  to  the  State  line, 
and  thence  twenty  miles  through  Hancock,  Williamstown  and 
Horth  Adams  in  Massachusetts.  In  this  project  the  use  of  a new 
bridge  across  the  Hudson,  combining  a carriageway,  will  be  all- 
important,  and  it  is  of  interest  to  our  citizens  that  neither  the  Hud- 
son River  and  Central  nor  Boston  and  Albany  roads  should  gain 
control  of  this  viaduct.  If  the  present  railroad  company  should 
decide  to  shorten  their  line  to  Boston  some  ten  miles,  and  build  a 
branch  to  Stephentown  to  connect  with  the  Albany,  Hoosac  Tunnel 
and  Boston  road,  or  better,  to  construct  the  whole  line  from  this  city 


15 


over  the  new  Greenbush  bridge  to  the  western  terminus  of  the  tun- 
nel, our  citizens  would  certainly  not  object.  Those  of  our  people 
interested  in  this  matter  care  only  to  have  the  bridge  and  road  built 
at  once.  The  interests  of  the  manufacturing  portion  of  our  citizens, 
the  residents  of  Greenbush,  and  in  fact  the  whole  southern  portion 
of  Eensselaer  county  demand  it.  There  is  not  a doubt  but  that  it 
would  be  beneficial  to  our  mercantile  interests  if  the  inhabitants  of 
the  county  contiguous  to  this  route  could  have  an  easy  approach  to 
the  capital  of  the  Empire  State.  In  more  than  one  instance  has 
the  complaint  been  expressed  that  they  do  not  wish  to  be  confined 
to  Troy  for  their  Hudson  river  connections.  Another  reason  in 
favor  of  this  route  is  that  it  is  some  fifteen  miles  shorter  to  Boston 
than  the  present  routes,  and  if  grades  are  to  be  taken  into  account 
some  twenty-six  miles  shorter.  The  strength  of  the  company  has 
not  yet  been  manifested,  but  possibly  will  during  the  session  of  the 
Legislature.  It  inspires  confidence  that  they  had  the  sagacity  to  see 
its  merits,  and  is  said  to  have  already  contracted  for  the  grading  and 
building  of  the  road.  The  difficulty  in  the  locating  of  the  bridge, 
it  is  said,  is  not  great,  and  can  be  easily  overcome,  if  the  stock 
should  be  subscribed  for,  and  the  books  closed,  and  the  bridge  on 
this  end  of  the  road  built  without  delay. 


THE  BOSTON,  HOOSAC  TUNNEL  AND  ALBANY 
KAILKOAD. 

LFrom  the  Evening  Journal.] 

The  distance  from  Albany  by  way  of  Troy  to  the  Hoosac  Tunnel 
is  fifty-seven  miles,  viz. : six  miles  to  Troy,  thirty-five  miles  to  the 
State  line  (being  the  Troy  and  Boston  railroad),  and  sixteen  miles 
over  the  Troy  and  Greenfield  road  to  Hoosac  Tunnel.  It  will  be 
remembered  that  the  Troy  and  Greenfield  road,  from  State  line  to 
Greenfield,  on  the  Connecticut  river,  is  forty-two  miles.  The 
Hoosac  Tunnel,  being  included  in  the  road,  is  five  miles  long,  leav- 
ing thirty  miles  of  the  road  on  the  east  side,  and  seven  miles  on  the 
west  side  of  the  tunnel.  The  sixteen  miles  west  of  the  tunnel  has 
been  used  by  the  Troy  and  Boston  road,  and  is  generally  supposed 
to  be  a part  of  it.  This  is  a mistake,  as  the  Troy  and  Greenfield 
road  (forty-two  miles,  including  the  tunnel),  belongs  to  the  State  of 
Massachusetts,  which  State  has  already  expended  on  the  tunnel 
nearly  $15,000,000.  This  immense  work,  belonging  to  the  State  of 


16 


Massachusetts,  has  claimed  the  attention  of  the  Troy  and  Boston 
Eailroad  Company  on  the  west;  the  Vermont,  Massachusetts  and 
Fitchburg  railroad  on  the  east ; and  they  have  arranged  a consolida- 
tion for  the  purpose  of  stealing  the  tunnel  road  from  the  State,  and 
thereby  consolidating  a through  line  from  Boston  to  the  great  lakes. 
This  would  make  the  great  eastern  and  western  through  line  from 
the  great  lakes  to  tide  water,  at  Boston,  pass  through  Troy,  and 
cutting  off  Albany  six  miles  on  the  north. 

The  question  for  Albanians  is  whether  they  have  a better  and 
shorter  route  in  Albany  than  Troy  for  this  through  line.  The  Bos- 
ton, Hoosac  Tunnel  and  Albany  Railroad  Company  have  recently 
made  a new  survey  of  a line  from  Greenbush,  starting  at  Mill  street ; 
thence  up  Quackenderry  Hollow ; thence  via  Albia,  in  the  city 
of  Troy,  to  the  State  line  near  Petersburgh,  the  distance  being 
twenty-two  miles,  striking  the  Troy  and  Greenfield  road  at  the  State 
line,  having  to  build  twenty-two  miles  to  the  State  line  and  fourteen 
miles  over  the  Troy  and  Boston  road,  making  only  thirty-six  miles 
from  Albany  to  the  Tunnel,  instead  of  fifty-seven  miles  by  the  way 
of  Troy,  thereby  saving  twenty-one  miles  from  Albany  to  the  Tun- 
nel ; besides  a through  line  from  Boston  west  by  way  of  Albany 
gives  the  advantage  of  the  competing  lines  of  the  Hew  York  Cen- 
tral and  Albany  and  Susquehanna  west,  while  at  Troy  there  would 
be  no  competing  line  with  the  Hew  York  Central,  and  this  is  the 
reason  why  Commodore  Vanderbilt  has  thrown  his  entire  infiuence  in 
favor  of  the  Troy  route  as  against  Albany.  Is  it  right  that  the  busi- 
ness men  and  capitalists  of  Albany  should  oppose  this  enterprise,when, 
in  addition  to  the  advantage  above  stated,  this  road  to  Albany  would 
bring  here  almost  the  entire  trade  of  Vermont  and  Horthwestern 
Massachusetts,  which  now  goes  to  the  support  of  Troy,  as  well  as 
securing  by  the  new  bridge,  the  entire  trade  of  Rensselaer  county. 

Commerce. 

A correspondent  furnishes  the  Argus  with  the  following  figures, 


which,  if  correct,  are  certainly  conclusive : 

Routes.  Miles. 

Boston  to  Albany  by  B.  and  A.  R.  R 202 

By  the  Boston,  Hoosac  Tunnel  and  Albany  railroad  (to  be 

constructed) 178 

Saving  24  miles  by  way  of  the  Hoosac  Tunnel  over  the  Bos- 
ton and  Albany  route. 

By  the  Troy  and  Boston  railroad - . . 197 

Saving  19  miles  by  way  of  the  tunnel  to  Albany  over  the 
Troy  and  Boston  route. 


17 


Routes.  Miles. 

From  Boston  to  Buffalo  by  way  of  Boston  and  Albany  rail- 
road and  N.  Y.  Central 525 

From  Boston  to  Buffalo  by  way  of  Boston  and  Albany  and 

the  New  York,  West  Shore  and  Chicago  railroads 484 

From  Boston  to  Albany  by  way  of  Boston  and  Albany  and 

Albany  and  Susquehanna  railroads ..  551 

From  Boston  to  Buffalo  by  way  of  Hoosac  Tunnel,  Troy  and 

Boston  and  N.  Y.  Central 520 

And  Albany  and  Susquehanna 546 

And  New  York,  West  Shore  and  Chicago. 479 

From  Boston  to  Buffalo  by  way  of  Tunnel  and  Boston, 

Hoosac  Tunnel  and  Albany  railroad  and  New  York 

Central 501 

From  Boston  to  Buffalo  by  way  of  Tunnel  and  Boston, 
Hoosac  Tunnel  and  Albany  railroad  and  Albany  and  Sus- 
quehanna   527 

From  Boston  to  Buffalo  by  way  of  Tunnel  and  Boston, 

Hoosac  Tunnel  and  Albany  railroad  and  the  New  York, 

West  Shore  and  Chicago  railroads 460 


The  Boston,  Hoosac  Tunnel  and  Albany  railroad  is  a road  to  be 
built  from  Albany  to  Petersburgh  (twenty-two  miles),  and  there 
uniting  with  the  Troy  and  Greenfield  railroad  to  the  Hoosac  Tunnel 
(fifteen  miles),  making  the  distance  by  this  route,  from  Albany  to 
the  tunnel,  only  thirty-seven  miles,  while  by  the  way  of  Troy  the 
distance  stands  thus : Albany  to  Troy,  six  miles ; Troy  and  Boston 
road  to  State  line,  thirty-five  miles,  and  State  line  to  the  tunnel,  fif- 
teen miles  — making  fifty -six  miles,  giving  the  direct  line  from 
Albany  the  advantage  of  nineteen  miles,  and,  of  course,  the  same 
advantage  in  distance  to  Boston.  By  this  direct  line  from  Albany, 
by  way  of  the  Hoosac  Tunnel  to  Boston,  the  distance  is  only  178 
miles,  while  by  the  Boston  and  Albany  line  the  distance  is  202 
miles,  giving  the  direct  line  the  advantage  of  twenty-four  miles  in 
distance,  and  at  least  twenty  miles  more  in  advantage  of  grade. 


18 


THE  BOSTON,  HOOSAC  TUNNEL  AND  ALBANY 
EAILBOAD. 


LFrom  the  Evening  Journal.] 

The  Springfield  Republican  of  yesterday  says : “ The  Troy  and 
Boston  railroad  has  long  been  an  infinite  vexation,  owing  to  its 
petty  exactions  and  lack  of  courtesy,  and  even  decency,  to  the  peo- 
ple in  the  northwestern  corner  of  the  State.  The  fact  that  the  new 
railroad  project  from  Albany  to  connect  with  the  tunnel  at  North 
Adams  is  being  revived  anew,  therefore,  is  very  welcome  news  to 
the  Massachusetts  people.  Col.  C.  Adams  Stevens,  of  Albany, 
Yice-President  of  the  Boston,  Hoosac  Tunnel  and  Albany  road,  is 
pushing  the  matter,  and  it  is  asserted  that  Boston  capitalists  propose 
to  furnish  all  the  stock  not  taken  at  Albany  and  along  the  line  of 
the  new  road,  and  that  the  project  is  destined  to  be  carried  out.” 


EESOLUTIOKS 


Passed  at  a Meeting  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Albany 
AND  Greenbush  Bridge  Company  held  in  Albany,  Oct.  22, 1874. 


Resolved^  That  Dr.  John  Swinburne,  president  of  this  company 
be  and  he  is  hereby  authorized  to  execute  in  behalf  of  the  company 
a contract  with  such  person  or  persons  as  to  him  may  seem  of  re- 
sponsible financial  and  business  character  to  erect,  construct,  and 
complete  the  sub-structure  of  the  proposed  toll  bridge  for  the  ac- 
commodation of  foot,  carriage  and  car  passage  over  the  Hudson 
river  between  the  city  of  Albany  and  the  village  of  Greenbush,  to 
be  erected  by  this  company,  and  to  be  of  the  same  style  and  charac- 
ter of  work,  and  not  to  exceed  per  yard  the  cost  of  substructure  of 
what  is  known  as  the  new  bridge ” at  the  foot  of  “Maiden  lane ” 
in  accordance  with  the  plans,  specifications  and  location  of  said  pro- 
posed bridge  hereafter  to  be  approved  and  submitted  by  the  exe- 
cutive committee  as  a condition  of  said  contract  and  also  conditioned 
that  such  contractor  or  contractors  shall  take  in  part  payment  upon 
said  contract  the  $10,000  in  the  capital  stock  of  this  com- 
pany at  par,  deducting  and  paying  five  per  cent  cash  to  C. 
Adams  Stevens,  being  the  sum  already  paid  by  him  into  the  treas- 
ury of  the  company  upon  said  stock,  and  such  cash  payments  from 
time  to  time  as  may  be  equitable  and  in  accordance  with  the  chief 
engineers  certificate  of  the  work  as  it  progresses,  and  the  said  stock 
to  be  applied  in  proportion  to  the  several  cash  payments. 

Resolved^  That  the  chief  engineer  be  and  he  is  hereby  directed 
to  proceed  at  once  to  make  the  necessary  soundings  and  survey  of 
the  Hudson  river  at  the  point  designated  by  the  commissioners 
for  the  location  of  the  company’s  bridge  (when  such  location  shall 
have  been  made),  and  to  submit  to  this  board  the  requisite  plans  and 
specifications. 


20 


Resolved^  That  the  president  of  this  company  be  and  he  hereby 
is  authorized  and  directed  to  enter  into  a contract  in  behalf  of  the 
company  with  suitable  and  responsible  parties  for  the  construction 
of  the  sujperstTuctuTe  of  its  bridge  to  be  erected  across  the  Hudson 
river  at  Albany,  and  to  cause  the  necessary  plans  and  specifications 
to  be  at  once  prepared  for  that  purpose.  Said  parties  taking  such 
contract  to  receive  in  part  payment  upon  the  same  not  less  than 
$30,000  of  the  capital  stock  of  the  company  at  par  pay- 
ing to  C.  Adams  Stevens  ,^the  5 per  ^cent  heretofore  advanced 
upon  the  same  by  him.  The  said  superstructure  to  be  of  iron  and 
steel  and  of  as  , good  a class  of  work  as  what  is  knowm  as  the 
“Hew  Bridge  ” at  Albany,  and  at  a cost  not  to  exceed  the  pro- 
portionate cost  of  the  same  class  of  work  upon  that  structure. 

J.  W.  GASCOIGHE, 

Secretary  of  the  A.  <&  G.  Bridge  Company. 


Office  Boston  Hoosao  Tunnel 

AND  Albany  E.  K.  Co. 

October  23d,  1874. 

To  J.  S.  Doane,  Esq., 

Chief  Engineer  L.  0.  S.  R.  R.  Co. : _ 

Dear  Sir — As  you  requested,  I herein,  with  pleasure,  make  the 
statement  you  desire,  brief,  it  is  true,  but  sufficient  to  give  a general 
idea  of  the  condition  of  our  affairs. 

The  Albany  and  Greenbush  Bridge  Company  was  (by  special  act 
of  the  legislature  of  the  state  of  Hew  York),  chartered  April  18, 
1872.  And  all  the  capital  stock  of  $300,000,  having  been  subscribed 
for  (the  first  installment  of  5 per  cent  paid  in  cash),  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  company  was  fully  completed  on  the  twentieth  day  of 
August,  1873,  by  electing  a board  of  directors,  and  the  proper 
officers  of  the  company,  pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  the  charter. 

Owing  to  the  death  of  Mr.  Thomas  Olcott,  one  of  the  commis- 
sioners appointed  by  the  legislature,  to  fix  and  determine  the  lo- 
cations^ of  the  bridge,  additional  legislation  became  necessary, 
which  was  obtained  last  winter,  and  the  bridge  is  now  located  at  the 
“South  Ferry.”  The  land  property  at  the  “South  Ferry”  was 
owned  by  the  city  of  Albany,  on  both  sides  of  the  Hudson  river, 
and  being  a large,  roomy  and  valuable  property  for  our  bridge  pur- 
poses, the  company  has  notified  the  city  authorities  of  its  acceptance 


21 


of  the  proposition  of  the  common  council  to  sell  the  property  to 
the  Bridge  Company  for  the  nominal  ^sum  of  $23,500,  with  the 
conditions  thereto  attached. 

The  resolution  passed  by  the  common  council  of  the  city  of 
Albany,  on  the  19th  of  October,  instant,  (1874),  is  as  follows,  and  is 
copied  from  the  official  report  as  published  in  ‘‘The  Albany 
Evenino^  Journal  ” of  the  20th  inst.  : 

O 

THE  GEEENBHSH  BRIDGE  PROJECT. 

Aid.  Casey  presented  16  petitions  of  some  1,200  tax-payers,  one 
petition  from  each  ward  of  the  city,  for  the  sale  of  the  South  Ferry 
property  to  the  Albany  and  Greenbush  Bridge  Company,  accom- 
panied by  the  following  resolution  : 

W HEREAs,  It  has  become  necessary  that  a bridge  be  constructed 
over  the  Hudson  river,  for  the  accommodation  of  the  Boston 
Hoosac  Tunnel  and  Albany  Bailroad  Company,  and  for  teams  and 
foot  passengers  and  horse  railroads  ; and. 

Whereas,  The  South  Ferry  property  does  not  rent  for  enough  to 
keep  it  in  repair ; also,  that  it  will  cost  the  city  not  less  than 
$20,000  this  fall  to  put  it  in  proper  condition  for  renting ; and. 
Whereas,  The  city  assessors  and  William  B.  Scott,  John  Stuart, 
and  several  other  good  judges  of  real  estate,  have  valued  said  prop- 
erty to  be  worth  not  more  than  $23,500;  therefore  be  it 

Resolved^  That  the  city  of  Albany  sell  to  the  Albany  and  Green- 
bush  Bridge  Company,  for  the  sum  before  named,  the  following 
described  property,  known  as  the  South  Ferry  property,  bounded 
and  described  as  follows,  to  wit : Beginning  at  a point  on  the  east 

side  of  Broadway  in  the  said  city  of  Albany  61  feet  and  6 
inches  distant  from  the  south  side  of  John  street,  and  running 
thence  southerly  along  the  east  side  of  Broadway  to  the  brewery 
building  of  Taylor  & Son  ; thence  along  the  northerly  line  of  said 
brewery  in  a south-easterly  direction,  and  continuing  in  the  same 
course  or  direction  to  low-water  mark;  thence  in  a northerly 
direction  along  low  - water  mark  171  feet ; thence  in  a 
north-westerly  direction  in  the  direction  of  the  southerly  line' 
of  Taylor  & Son’s  malt-house,  'and  continuing  along  the  south- 
erly line  of  said  malt-house  to  the  place  of  beginning ; also,  all 
those  lands  and  premises  in  the  village  of  Greenbush,  county  of 
Bensselaer,  FT.  Y.,  bounded  and  described  as  follows,  to  wit:  Be- 

ginning at  a point  on  the  northerly  side  of  Ferry  street,  300 
feet  distant  from  the  west  side  of  Broadway,  and  being  the 
south-westerly  corner  of  lot  Ho.  2 as  designated  on  a map  on  file 


22 


in  the  oiSce  of  the  city  engineer  and  surveyor  of  the  city  of 
Albany,  and  running  thence  in  a north-easterly  direction  on  the 
boundary  line  between  lots  No.  1 and  No.  2 to  a point  70  feet 
distant,  thence  in  a north-westerly  direction  on  a line  parallel  with 
the  said  north  line  of  Ferry  street  to  low-water  mark  ; thence 
down  the  river  in  a southerly  direction  along  low- water  mark 
210  feet ; thence  in  a south-easterly  direction  to  the  south- 
westerly corner  of  lot  No.  25,  as  designated  on  said  map,  being 
300  feet  distant  from  the  west  side  of  Broadway ; thence  in  a 
north-easterly  direction  along  said  lot  No.  25,  and  continuing  on 
in  the  same  course  or  direction  to  the  place  of  beginning,  be  the 
same  more  or  less,  for  the  sum  of  $23,500,  5 per  cent  of  said 
sum  to  be  paid  to  the  city  chamberlain  within  30  days  after  this 
resolution  shall  take  effect,  and  the  balance  thereof  at  the  expiration 
of  two  years  thereafter,  with  interest ; such  payment  to  be  secured 
by  the  bond  of  said  company  and  their  mortgage  upon  said  pro- 
perty, payable  as  aforesaid,  executed  by  the  president  of  said  com- 
pany duly  authorized  therefor.  But  such  company  shall  have  the 
right  to  pay  said  bond  and  mortgage  at  any  time  before  the  same 
shall  become  due  and  payable  ; also. 

Resolved^  That  the  mayor  be  and  he  is  hereby  authorized  and 
directed,  on  the  part  of  the  city  to  execute  and  deliver  to  said  com- 
pany a quit-claim  deed  for  said  property,  in  accordance  with  the 
foregoing  resolution,  upon  the  payment  to  the  city  chamberlain  of 
the  five  per  cent,  as  required  by  the  foregoing  resolution,  and  at 
the  time  of  the  delivery  of  said  deed  said  company  shall  deliver  to 
his  honor  the  mayor  the  bond  and  mortgage  above  mentioned ; also. 

Resolved^  That  the  bridge  company,  with  the  payment  of  the 
aforesaid  five  per  cent  to  the  city  chamberlain,  also  deliver  to  him 
an  article  of  agreement  conditioned  that  the  bridge  which  said 
company  shall  constrnct  shall  be  provided  with  a suitable  draw  of 
not  less  than  three  hundred  and  eighty  (380)  feet  in  length,  and 
also  that  they  will  keep  a light,  at  their  own  cost  and  charge,  upon 
the  upper  and  lower  piers  upon  which  said  draw  shall  rest  when 
open,  of  such  volume  or  illuminating  power  as  shall  be  approved 
of  by  B.  H.  Bingham,  city  surveyor ; and  the  said  bridge  company 
is  hereby  authorized  to  take  possession  of  said  property  at  the  expi- 
ration of  the  present  lease  or  leases  of  said  ferry  property. 

Aid.  Keeler  moved  the  matter  be  referred  to  the  committee  on 
docks  and  ferries. 

President  Casey  — I hope  not.  I want  a vote  on  the  matter 
to-night. 


23 


Aid.  Mattimoee  — I do  not  see  why  there  should  he  any  objec- 
tion to  referring  the  resolution  to  its  proper  committee. 

The  motion  to  refer  was  lost  by  the  following  vote  : 

Ayes  — Aid.  Bradt,  Brady,  Keeler,  Mattimore,  McCann,  Oliver, 
Ten  Eyck  — T. 

Noes  — Aid.  Andes,  Bailey,  Bender,  Cavanagh,  Fahy,  Lauder, 
Luby,  President,  Schneider  — 9. 

The  question  then  recurring  on  the  adoption  of  the  resolution. 

Aid.  Mattimoee  said  this  question  had  been  before  the  board 
for  the  past  18  months.  It  was  for  the  purpose  of  advancing 
the  interests  of  a party  of  men  who  proposed  building  a bridge  to 
Greenbush  at  the  South  Ferry,  and  thus  ruin  our  commerce  and  do 
away  with  navigation  on  the  noble  Hudson.  All  remonstrances 
have  been  ignored,  and  it  was  now  designed  to  spring  a trap  on 
those  who  were  opposed  to  the  bridge.  The  members  of  the  board 
were  not  sent  here  to  legislate  for  themselves  or  for  any  person  or 
corporation,  but  for  the  people,  who  would  demand  of  them  why 
they  had  violated  their  trust. 

The  resolution  was  then  adopted  by  the  following  vote : 

Ayes  — Aid.  Andes,  Bailey,  Bender,  Brady,  Cavanagh,  Fahy, 
Lauder,  Luby,  Oliver,  President,  Schneider  — 11. 

Noes  — Aid.  Bradt,  Keeler,  Mattimore,  McCann,  Ten  Eyck  — 5. 


ALBANY  AND  GKEENBUSH  BKIDGE  CO. 

In  addition  to  the  first  5 per  cent,  the  company  has  lately  called 
in  twenty  jper  cent  of  its  capital  stock. 

The  company  also  has  a contract  for  a block  of  ground  and  build- 
ings on  Broadway,  opposite  the  southern  portion  of  the  Ferry 
property,  which  is  convenient  and  of  great  value  for  the  purposes  of 
the  company. 


Our  assets  will  be  about  the  following  figures,  viz. : 

Value  of  charter,  franchise,  etc $200,  000 

Value  of  Ferry  property 175,  000 

Value  of  block,  corner  Broadway  and  Ferry  street. . . . 160,  000 

Paid  on  capital  stock 75,  000 

Bonds  of  company 500,  000 


$1, 100,  000 


24: 


Deduct  : 

Due  city  of  Albany $23,  400 

Due  on  block  contract 75,  000 

All  expenses  up  to  this  date 20,  000 

$118,400 

$981,  600 


Making  the  present  assets  of  the  company,  entirely  unincum- 
bered, $981,600. 

The  company -will  have  an  annual  liability  of — 


Interest $35,000 

Salaries,  office  expenses,  etc 10,  000 

Estimated  repairs 5,  000 


Total  of  entire  annual  expenditures $50,  000 


To  meet  this  expenditure  the  company  will  have  the  following 


annual  income,  viz. : 

From  carriage  bridge  tolls,  an  average  of  $200  per  day,  $73,  000 
From  railroad  bridge  tolls,  estimated  at  not  less  than 

$500  per  day 182,  500 

Rents  derived  from  block  corner  of  Broadway  and  Ferry 
street,  and  that  portion  of  Ferry  property  not  neces- 
sarily used  for  bridge  purposes 28,  750 


Total  annual  receipts $284,  250 


If  we  deduct  from  the  total  annual  receipts $284,250 

The  total  annual  expenditures  including  interest  on  the 

company’s  bonds 50,000 


We  have  the  net  sum  of $234,250 


for  annual  dividends  to  be  paid  the  stockholders  upon  the  capital 
stock  of  $300,000,  or  over  78  per  cent. 

This  statement  is  correct  and  fair  in  every  detail  and  will  stand 
investigation. 

As  to  the  Boston,.  Hoosac  Tunnel  and  Albany  R.  R.,  the  charac- 
teristics are  familiar  to  you. 

The  prospects  for  business,  and  a paying  business,  as  a freight 
road — 


25 


This  road  although  a short  one  by  itself  will  pay  large  dividends 


from  its  local  traffic. 

The  promised  annual  freights  from  the  north  (iron  ore,  etc.),  are 
as  follows, Viz.  : 

To  Albany $50,000 

To  Troy 150,000 

Estimated  milk  and  farm  products 25,000 


Coming  south $225,000 

Coal,  flour,  etc.,  and  raw  material  for  manufacture 
to  Troy  and  country  back  as  far  as  Sandlake  $100,000  , 

For  the  county  along  the  line 25,040 

Hoosac  river  villages 50,000 

Williamstown,  Korth  and  South  Adams 150,000 


Going  north $325,000 

Estimated  traffic  from  western  Vermont  roads..  $150,000 

Local  passenger  business 50,000 

$200,000 

We  claim  for  local  business  alone  per  annum $750,000 


Allowing,  then,  that  the  whole  cost  of  construction  and  equip- 
ment (sufficient  for  this  local  business)  will  be  $1,500,000  (and  this 
is  believed  to  be  a liberal  estimate),  we  should  have  a very  fair 


paying  road  (investment). 

Annual  income  as  a local  road  only $750,000 

Annual  Expenditures. 

Interest $105,000 

Running  expenses 150,000 

Repairs 100,000 

Taxes 15,000 

Rents,  tolls,  etc 80,000 

450,000 

Leaving  the  net  earnings  of  $300,000 


Now  deposit  on  interest  or  otherwise  safely  invest  to  meet 

bonds  (thereby  liquidating  all  indebtedness  in  15  years),  100,000 

We  then  have  for  the  stockholders  on  the  local  busi- 
ness of  the  road $200,000 


You  will  notice  that  we  have  not  included  the  through  business 
to  and  from  tide- water  to  the  great  lakes  and  the  west. 

We  think  we  may  safely  include  the  advantages  of  this  tunnel 
route  over  all  others  in  making  our  estimate  of  annual  income  from 
the  through  husiness  of  the  road,  as  no  other  jpossihle  route  can  be 
found  of  equal  advantages  as  will  be  seen  by  our  Engineer’s  Beport, 
and  as  you  know  from  personal  examination,  and  as  to  the  amount 
of  income  from  this  source  you  are  competent  to  form  a correct 
conclusion,  but  we  suggest  $250,000  would  not  exagerate  the  resujt, 
which  is  to  be  added  to  the  net  income  of  the  road  making  a total 
net  income  of  $450,000,  or  an  annual  dividend  of  30  per  cent  on  a 
capital  of  $1,500,000. 

We  think  he  have  made  an  under  estimate  and  hope  you  will  at 
a near  future  day  make  a thorough  examination  of  the  available 
sources  of  business  for  this  road. 

Yours  respectfully, 

JOHN  SWINBUKNE, 
President  of  the  Albany  and  Greenbush  Bridge  Co.,  and 
President  of  the  Boston,  'Hoosac  Tunnel  and  Albany  R.  R.  Co. 


